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Chamber of Industry and Commerce Darmstadt: Companies see no relief – investments in the USA stagnate
Darmstadt/South Hesse. The preliminary agreement in the tariff dispute between the EU and the US brings little relief to export-oriented companies in South Hesse – on the contrary: Many businesses are even finding themselves under further pressure due to new burdens. This is the result of a flash survey conducted by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), in which nearly 100 companies from the Darmstadt Rhein Main Neckar district participated.
Despite the EU and US's intention to mitigate trade conflicts, only five percent of the South Hesse companies surveyed expect positive effects. The assessment is particularly critical among companies with direct US business: Around 74 percent of them expect additional burdens – for example, due to planned tariff increases to 15 percent.
Axel Scheer, foreign trade expert at the Darmstadt Chamber of Industry and Commerce, warns: "The additional tariffs are already significantly impacting US business. No one knows what will happen tomorrow. Our member companies are experiencing growing uncertainty."
USA most important export market for South Hesse
The United States is the most important sales market for companies in Southern Hesse. With an export volume of €9.3 billion in 2024, it accounts for approximately 11.7 percent of all Hesse exports – including, in particular, chemical and pharmaceutical products, as well as machinery. These exports are now coming under increasing pressure.
Already, 40 percent of the companies surveyed are complaining about a decline in US business. The tariffs are being passed on to customers in different ways: Over half of the companies are raising their prices, a quarter are covering the additional costs themselves, and another 25 percent are sharing the additional costs with business partners.
Investments are postponed or canceled
In addition to revenue losses, the chambers also observe a reluctance to invest: 26 percent of companies are reducing their US investments or putting projects on hold. Fifty-four percent are considering a move away from the US market – among other things, in favor of the EU single market (41 percent) or other international markets.
The background to this is the increasing unpredictability of trade policy – for example, due to announcements by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump that he will impose tariffs of up to 250 percent on pharmaceutical products in the future. "Such statements are causing massive uncertainty among companies," explains Scheer. "Planning security looks different."
DIHK: Business needs stability in the transatlantic relationship
DIHK Executive Director Helena Melnikov emphasizes: "The US market remains important, but symbolic politics at the expense of companies jeopardizes economic confidence." She calls for a more stable orientation of transatlantic relations – with clear rules and long-term predictability.
Further information on the survey and foreign trade can be found at:
www.darmstadt.ihk.de
(Darmstadt - Red/IHK)
